Knitting machine



Feb. 25, 193 A. L. ALDERFER ET AL KNITTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 24, 1925 01mm flan rower shit Zr nno quuuunu @3 5 71 F iqfee , "Z3 a m am Feb. 25, 1930. ALDERFER ET AL 1,748,322

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Shee 2 gwuwn oz M a? WW W 32;

Patented Feb. 25, 1930 UNIT!) sTATES PATENT 1 OFFICE A AM L. ALDERFER, OE ERSEY CITY, NEW JEE'sEY, AND SYLVESTER STORA, F BROOKLYN, NEW Y RK, AssIG ons 'ro nnvzn eoosron, BENJAMIN GOOBICI-I, AND

THE PAETNEnsnir or GOOBIGH & DE vos,

ELIAS DE VOS, CO PARTNERS COMPRISING 0F ROOKLYN, NEW YORK KNITTING MACHINE Application filed December 24, 1925. Serial No. 77,440.

This invention relates to knitting machines in which means is provided for knitting a continuous stocking where the separate sections constituting a complete article are cut off-70f thecontinuous product and finished off at the toe and upper between which the cutting was done.

- K In the common formof machine now used there arerfour cycles of operation through a constant speed and the needles knit the which the needles move, The first is the stocking. operation in which the cylinder carrying the needles moves continuously at barred portion of the stocking. Driven with this'cylinder is a suitable device to control thelength of the upperand foot portions of the sock and a suitable mechanism is provided to cause a reciprocation of the cylinder in amanner to knit the toe and heel sections as the continuous stocking length is formed, the reciprocation being accompanied by other portions which perfect such knitting as the appropriate intervals are covered.

Amachine ofv this character requires half ,of the needles of the cylinder to be provided with short butts which are lifted by suitable cam grooves into'engaging position, and half to have long-butts which, in addition tothe above lifting, may also be lifted by an additional cam into inoperative position corresponding to the time when the reciprocating periods are taking place.

The type of machine outlined above is shown in the catalogue. of Automatic Seamless Hosiery Machines published in 1923 by Scott and'lVilliams at 866 Broadway, New York city and forms no part of this invention.

'The present invention provides an improvement in the above machine whereby irregular designs may beknit in the sock and adapts the machine for a more wide and varied application.

7 In this'invention, a pattern wheel is provided which is turned by the butt ends of the needles and which lifts certain of the needles to engage the design thread before reaching the point in the cam path where all the needles are lifted, to engage the base thread. The wheel is providedwith suitable notches to permit certain needle butts to pass engaging position during the reciprocating period, which does not require long butts on the needles as in the old form of apparatus. This is particularly advantageous by reason of the fact that long butt needles cannot be used in connection with the pattern wheel.

Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings for a more detailed description of the operation of the device, wherein: I v

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of the improved device.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section of the pattern wheel and the means for normally urging the same out of engaging position with respect to the needles.

I Figure 4 shows diagrammatically the swivel pawl diverting the jacks into the detour.

Figure 5 shows the swivel pawl just after it has finished diverting the half of the jacks. I

Figure '6 shows the reverse movement of the jacks.

' Figure 7 shows the action of the pattern wheel on the needle butts.

Figure 8 shows how the design thread is prevented from being engaged by the needles which are notraised by the pattern wheel.

In the accompanying drawings no effort is made to illustrate every element of the machine on which this device is applied, but only so much thereof is shown as will serve to illustrate the present invention.

In the several figures a represents the mounting plate of the machine on which bracket a is secured by suitable means such as studs 64?. Bracket a has a downwardly projecting sleeve portion a the function of which will be described hereinafter. Mounted on plate a is a circular plate 6 which houses, on its inner periphery, the cam race mounting Z).

Stud serves to secure to plate I), a mounting block a which is provided with a dove tailed groove 0 in which slides the dove tailed tongue 0 which constitutes a carriage on which the pattern wheel d is mounted. Pattern wheel 03 is rotatably mounted on tongue 0 by means of an upwardly project-i,

ing stud cl secured by a suitable tap 5?. At the periphery of the pattern wheel and on the upper face thereof is provided a series of grooves cl? or notches d the same being spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the needles on the needle cylinder, to be described hereinafter. The grooves are shaped so as to present a shoulder (Z to the engaging face of a needle and thus compel the latter to move the wheel. It is to be noted that the wheel is slanted with respect to the plane in which the needle butts move and that the pitch circle of the grooves is" tangential to the path of movement of the needle butts. The taper'cZ of thegroove is equal to the degree of slant of the pattern wheel with-respect to the plane of the path of movement of the needle butts so that the latter'can ride over the taper and engage the shoulder. It. will, therefore, readily be seen that the butts engaging the shoulder will turn the pattern wheel and that, as the latter turns, it will lift the needle, which is free to move in its slot in the vertical cylinder, until the butt leaves the groove in its continued movement. This lifting of the needle causes it to engage the design thread engaged by a pawl (Z urged thereinto by leaf spring a? which is secured under the tap (Z Leaf spring (Z has an upwardly tapered outer end (Z10 which rides up on shoulder (Z mounted on'bracket a; when the carriage is moved inwardlyas hereinafter more fully described. This raises the spring and disengages the pawl (Z from the notch (Z and permits the wheel to rotate. It

will thus be seen that when the wheel is moved in to engage the needle butts tot-urn the same, the pawl is simultaneously disengagedfrom the notch and permits the turning to take place. The pattern wheel is further provided on its under side with a knurled drum (Z I Mounted on the block 0 by means of screw 2 is an armc which is engaged by a spring pressed plunger 0 which is mounted with the tongue andcarriage 0 and which serves rows down the stocking. 1

to force the same outwardly, awayfrom'the needle butts and against the crank arm 0. This serves to removethe pattern wheel from the path of the butts when the crank arm moves outwardly. V r I Crank 6 is pivotallyinounted on plate Z) by means ofstud b 'and tap 6 The other end of the crank arm is engaged by ca nff mounted on riser f which is operated from Drum g is prov tialcain surfaces g which ride under riser f and lift the latter. This causescam f to force the adjacent portion of crank 6 outwardlywhich, in turn, forces the carriage the drum g; g I

ided w th circumferen- 0 inwardly and permits the pattern wheel to be engaged by the needle butts.

.When the crank permits the carriage to i move outwardly the knurled hub d under the face of the pattern wheel engages a disc h which is mounted on shaft 7 2, which rotates in the sleeve portion a This disc may a be of fiber or other suitable material, and on the lower end of the shaft li a bevelgear 71, is provided: which 1S driven from the power shaft 763, so that the disk 7t moves'sym chronously with the needle cylinder;v This is quite apparent since the latter moves synchronously with the shaft 71, .v c j l The knurled portion (Z is provided with a depression (Z in which the disc it turns withoutturning thepattern wheel whenthe latter has been moved by the" former to the 7 point at which the pawl (Z drops into the notch The disc it, moving with the needle cylinder, moves the pattern wheel around to a position in which it will coni tinue the design where i'tleft ofi after the reciprocating period has been finished. Thus the design will appear in continuous The circumferential cam surface g cor responds to the period in which the stocking is being kn t andthe end ofthe cam corresponds to the point at which reciprocation takes place to knit the heel. c

At this point a c-orrespondingcam on the drum opeartes the lift rod 2' which isprovided with a lug engaging pawl i Pawl 2' mounted on shaft 2' by means of-screw 2' Shaft 2' passesradially through the plateb and turns therein, terminating flush with the cam race j which is supported by the cam race 7 mounting Z); Y I

As seen in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the inverted V-cam y" of the old machine has had the lower left angle removed in order to accom modate the swivel cam 2'? which is mounted to turn with the shaft 2' The point of this cam isnormally held out of the horizontal path of the butts Zr: on the jacks, by the spring c". When a suitable cam on the drum engages the leverage to lift rod 2', however, the point of the swivel cam is moved down into such path and diverts certain of the jack butts'into the detour or inverted V cam, which lifts the corresponding needle into the disengaging position at which position the jack butts pass down the other faceof the cam into the horizontal race. This is clearly seen in Figures 4, and 6. The swivel cam is held down only long enough to lift half of the needles and the cam face on thedrum is constructed to hold it downonly so long. -'When half have been diverted the spring i returns the swivel cam to the non-engaging position.

" As previously noted, this action takes place atthe beginning of each reciprocatory period and in the first reciprocation the jack butts pass back under the swivel cam which has I been raised after diverting half of the butts up the incline, and reciprocation follows in the usual manner. As noted above, Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the action of the needles an-dcam when the latter is diverting the former, when such action ceases in the continued movement of the cylinder, and when andservesto turn the shaft in a clockwise direction. Due to the pin and slot connection Z, Z the shaft will be moved inwardly against the face of the cylinder and the cam.

Z mounted on the end of shaft Z will be thrown upv into'the'path of the needle butts to bring themdown to the engaging position, when the. shaft is permitted. to return under the actionof the spring Z by cam drum 9. ,As

this is no part of the present invention, no further'des'cription is necessary. 1

' It will thus be seen that the swivel cam lifting half of the needles, does away with theiold type wherein half of the needle butts had-to belong to be so lifted by suitable action of the other cam.

It will thus be seen that during the stockingioperationor first and third cycles the patternwheel lifts certain of the needles to engage the design thread (see Fig. 7) before theyengage the base thread and thus the 'de-' sign is knit in as desired. 7 .During the second and fourth cycles, when reciprocation takes place to knit the heel and toe, the pattern wheel is removed from operative position so that the needle butts, in reciprocating will not be damaged. The remainder of the apparatus operates as described above to co-operate with the pattern wheel and enable a complete stocking with any desired design to be knit.

It will be noted that the design thread whichis engaged by the needles lifted by the pattern wheel will not be engaged by the needles not so lifted when they are subsequently raised by the rising cam face of the race to engage the base thread, by reason of the fact that the noses of such needles not so lifted will push the design thread down the backs of their needles as they are raised. This is illustrated in Figure 8.

In the embodiment shown a specific type of machine on which the invention is used, has been illustrated. It is understood, however, that the device may be applied to any suitable machine and is not to be limited except as defined in the appended claims.

What we claim is: i

1. In combination with the needle-containing cylinder of a knitting machine having means to rotate and reciprocate the same, of a pattern wheel, means causing the same to engage the needles, means todisengage the same from the needles during reciprocation of the latter, means to move the disen gaged wheel to a subsequent patternres uming' position, and means for holding the wheel against motion after it has been moved to such position. I I

2. In combination with the needle-containing cylinder of a knitting machine having means to rotate and reciprocate the same, of a pattern wheel, means causing the same to engage the needles, means to disengage the same from the needles during reciprocation of the latter, and means to turn the pattern wheel when'the same has been moved to a disengaging'position into a position to cause it to resume the design as a continuation of the former when the pattern wheel is again moved into engaging position with respect to the needles.

3. In combination with the needle-containing cylinder of a knitting machine having means to rotate and reciprocate the same, of a pattern wheel and means causing the same to engage the needles, means to disengage the same from thewneedles during reciprocation of the latter, and means operated synchro- Inously with the cylinder rotating means. to

turn the pattern wheel, when the same has been moved to a disengaging position, to a position where it will resume the design in proper sequence as the wheel is moved to engaging position when rotation of the cylinder again takes place.

4. Incombination with the needle contain ing cylinder of a knitting machine having means to rotate and reciprocate the same, of a pattern wheel and means causing the same to engage the needles, means to disengage the same from the needles during reciprocation of the latter, a hub on the wheel, a disc driven synchronously with the cylinder rotating means and so positioned that the hub will engage the disc when the wheel is moved to disengaging position, a depression in the hub in which. the disc turns freely when it has moved the wheel into the proper re-engaging position, and means to holdthewheel in such turned position.

5. In combination with the needle-containing cylinder of a knitting machine having means, to rotate and reciprocatethe same, of a pattern wheel, a'carriage mounting the same, means to move the carriage to engaging positionwith respect to the" needles,

means carried by the carriage and moving the wheel to a disengaging position with re spect to the needles during reciprocation of the cylindenfa hub on the wheel,a disc driven synchronously with the cylinder rotating means and so positioned that the hub will engage the disc whenthe wheel is moved to disengaging position, a depression in the hub in which the disc turns freely-when it has needles, a needle-containing cylinder, a pattern wheel, means to engage and disengage the pattern wheel with the needles, a. detoured raceway for controlling the position of the jacks. a swivel pawl for diverting the jacks from the raceway into the detour, and means operable by the pattern wheel engaging means for moving the pawl into a diverting position when the pattern wheel is disengaged from the needles.

7 In'an automatic knitting machine hav ing a plurality of needles and needle jacks which abut the lower ends of the respective needles, a needle-co1itaining cylinder, a pat: tern wheel, means to engage and disengage the pattern wheel with the needles, a de toured racewayfor controlling the position of the jacks, a swivel pawl for diverting the jacks from the raceway into the detour,

means normally urging the'pawl into the non-diverting position and means operating the pawl simultaneously with the pattern wheel as the latter is moved to the disengaged position. I

8. In an automatic knitting machine having a plurality of needlesa nd needle acks which abutthe lower ends of the respective needles, a needle-containing cylinder, a pattern wheel, means to engage and disengage the pattern wheel with the needles, a detoured raceway for controlling the position of the jacks, a swivel pawl for diverting the jacks from the raceway into the detour,

means normally urging the pawl into the non-diverting position, and means for moving the same into the diverting position when the pattern wheel is moved to disengaged po-- sition and permitting the pawl to be returned after half of the jackshajve been, di; verted. i

9. In an automatic knitting machine hav ing a cylindrical 'needle housing carrying a plurality of needles and needle acks which abut the lower ends ofthe respective needles.

and having a means to rotate andreciprocate 5 the needle cylinder, a pattern wwhe el, means to engageaiid disengagethe samewiththe needles during the rotating and reciprocat ing period, respectively, a detoured raceway for controlling theposition ofthe jacks, a 7 swivel pawl'for diverting the jacks from the W raceway 'into' the detour, means normally urging the pawl into the non di-verting position and means operable by thepattern wheel operating means-for movingthe pawl to the diverting position at the beginning of each reciprocating period of the cylinder.

10. In an automatic knitting machinehaving a cylindrical needle-housing carrying a1 plurality of needles and needle jacks which abut the lower ends of the respective needles I wheel operating means for moving the pawl to the diverting position at the beginning of 1, each reciprocatingperiod of the cylinder and permitting: the same to be returned to the non-diverting position after onedialf of the jacks have been diverted intothe detour;

11. In an automatic knitting machine having a cylindrical needle housing carrying a plurality of needles and needle acks which abut the lower ends ofthe respective needles 7 and having a means to rotate and reciprocate the needle cylinder, a detoured raceway for controlling the position of the acks, means operable for diverting certain of the jacks into the detour, a pattern wheel normally en- 7 the needles and movable away there from during the reciprocating period-of the cylinder and means operable simultaneously with the movement of the pattern wheel into disengaging position, for moving the divert-- ing means into operative position and permitting it to be returned to non-divertingposition when one-half ofthejacksfhave been diverted. v I

- This specification signed'this 21st day of Deceinber, A D. 1925.

ABRAM L. ALDERFER SYLVESTER STORA. i

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